Written by ForexBrokers.com
Is CMC Markets better than City Index? In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 39 brokers, CMC Markets is considered low-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 99 out of 99. City Index is considered low-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 99 out of 99. Learn more about Trust Score.
| Overall Rating | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ||
| Commissions & Fees | ||
| Offering of Investments | ||
| Platform & Tools | ||
| Mobile Trading | ||
| Research | ||
| Education | ||
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
| Winner | check_circle | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | City Index Review |
| Regulation | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1983 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Authorised in European Union | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses (High Trust) | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC Authorised (Australia) | Yes | Yes |
| IIROC Authorised (Canada) | Yes | No |
| SFC Authorised (Hong Kong) | No | No |
| CBI Authorised (Ireland) | No | No |
| FSA Authorised (Japan) | No | No |
| MAS Authorised (Singapore) | Yes | Yes |
| FINMA Authorised (Switzerland) | No | No |
| FCA Authorised (U.K.) | Yes | Yes |
| CFTC Registered (USA) | No | No |
| FMA Authorised (New Zealand) | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Average Trust) | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| CBRC Authorised (China) | No | No |
| CySEC Authorised (Cyprus) | No | Yes |
| NSE Authorised (India) | No | No |
| ISA Authorised (Israel) | No | No |
| CBR Authorised (Russia) | No | No |
| FSCA Authorised (South Africa) | No | No |
| SEC Authorised (Thailand) | No | No |
| DFSA / Central Bank Authorised (UAE) | Yes | No |
| Tier-3 Licenses (Low Trust) | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| SCB Authorised (Bahamas) | No | No |
| IFSC Authorised (Belize) | No | No |
| CIMA Authorised (Cayman Islands) | No | No |
| BMA Authorised (Bermuda) | No | No |
| FSC Authorised (British Virgin Islands) | No | No |
| FSC Authorised (Mauritius) | No | No |
| VFSC Authorised (Vanuatu) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Trading - Forex or CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 11927 | 12000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 158 | 84 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.73 (August 2021) | 1.1 (August 2021) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 (August 2021) |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Initial Deposit | $0 | £100.00 |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| cTrader | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 9 | 20 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 139 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 269 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 88 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Forex Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| Has Education - Forex or CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | City Index |
|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | City Index Review |
Comparing forex brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2022 annual forex broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 39 forex and CFD brokerages to find the best forex broker. Let's compare CMC Markets vs City Index.
Comparing the trading costs of forex and CFDs is not easy. Not every broker publishes average spreads data, and pricing structures vary. Based on our thorough annual assessment, CMC Markets offers better pricing overall for traders.
At ForexBrokers.com, we track where each forex and CFD broker is regulated across over 23 international regulator databases. Here's our findings. CMC Markets holds 5 global Tier-1 licenses, while City Index holds 3. Both CMC Markets and City Index hold 1 global Tier-2 licenses. In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 50 brokers, CMC Markets and City Index earned the same Trust Score.
To compare the trading platforms of both CMC Markets and City Index, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, CMC Markets offers a better experience. With research, CMC Markets offers superior market research. Finally, we found CMC Markets to provide better mobile trading apps.
For forex and CFDs traders, copy trading and MetaTrader are both popular platform options. Both CMC Markets and City Index offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4).CMC Markets and City Index both offer copy trading.
CMC Markets provides traders 158 currency pairs (e.g., EUR/USD) compared to City Index's 84 available pairs. Forex pairs aside, City Index offers traders access to 12000 CFDs while CMC Markets has 11927 available CFDs, a difference of 73.
CMC Markets is publicly traded, does not operate a bank, and is authorised by five tier-1 regulators (high trust), one tier-2 regulator (average trust), and zero tier-3 regulators (low trust). CMC Markets is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Financial Markets Authority (FMA), and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
City Index is publicly traded, does not operate a bank, and is authorised by three tier-1 regulators (high trust), zero tier-2 regulators (average trust), and one tier-3 regulator (low trust). City Index is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.
Backed by StoneX Group, City Index is a trusted brand known for its versatile trading platforms, excellent mobile app, diverse market research, and extensive range of tradeable markets.
Overall winner: CMC Markets
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